The guava fruit grows on a small tree with a wide, short canopy and a sturdy single to multi-stemmed trunk. The guava tree is an interesting plant with mottled greenish bark and long 3- to 7-inch serrated leaves. Guava trees produce white, 1-inch flowers that yield to small round, oval or pear shaped fruits. These are more accurately berries and have soft flesh, which may be white, pink, yellow or even red and varies in taste from acidic, sour to sweet, and rich depending on variety.

Guava Fruit Trees (Psidium guajava) Picture

Guava fruit trees are tropical to sub-tropical and may achieve 20 feet in height. Growing guavas require cold protection and is not suitable outdoors in most zones of the U.S. They must have shelter from freezing winds, even in sunny warm climates where occasional icy temperatures occur. Guava may also be referred to as common guava and its origin is unknown although guava fruit trees grows native in parts of tropical America.

The guava tree is perennial with plenty of leaves and, hence, provides excellent shade, while the leaves of the plant possess some therapeutic properties. The fruits of this species may be eaten fresh when ripe or used to make beverages, ice creams and thickened to prepare jam, jelly or marmalade. In the fertile Amazon region, a guava tree may even grow up to a height of 20 meters and bear fruits that are as big in size as a tennis ball. However, the commercially cultivated types of guava trees and shrubs usually grow up to a height of 10 meters and bear fruits that are akin to lemons in size. Guava trees are distinct as they have typical slender, smooth, copper hued barks that exfoliate revealing a green colored layer below.

Although the guava fruit is not an important commodity in the commercial international trade, it grows in abundance in the tropical clime and helps to provide food for hundreds of millions of people in the tropical regions across the globe. This species has spread rapidly across the globe and naturalized in the tropical regions owing to a number of reasons. Guava is primarily propagated through its seed, though the tree can also be grown through grafting. The plant is not only able to thrive on an assortment of soils and propagates easily; it also bears fruits easily and in abundance. As the each guava fruit encloses multiple seeds, guava fruit trees is possible to give rise to numerous fruit-bearing trees from one fruit in a span of just four years. In the Amazon rain forests, monkeys and birds thrive merrily on ripe guava fruits and also help in the dispersion of the fruits' seeds in their droppings. As a result, one may find a unprompted growth of clusters of guava shrubs or trees all over the region.

Nutrition Of Guava Fruit Trees (Psidium guajava) For Health

Guava Fruit 's no wonder guava is called a “super fruit.” Compared to the same amount of pineapple, guavas contain 30 more calories per serving, but three times the protein and more than four times the fiber. All that fiber makes guavas a great "regulator," while helping to protect the colon by reducing the risk of cancer-causing toxins and chemical build up; the fiber actually binds to the toxins and helps move them out of the body.

Guava Fruit Trees (Psidium guajava)

While pineapples provide 131% of the daily value of vitamin C in a serving, guavas offer 628%. Guava should be eaten with the skin, like an apple, imparting even higher concentrations of vitamin C.

Guavas contain: vitamin A (21% of the daily value), essential for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin; folate (20%), great for pregnant women to help prevent neural tube defects.

Benefits Of Guava Fruit Trees (Psidium guajava) For Health

Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising their intake of proteins, vitamins and fiber. Guava is very high in roughage and rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but it has no cholesterol and a low number of digestible carbohydrates. Guava is a is very filling snack and satisfies the appetite very easily. Guava, especially raw guava, also has far less sugar as compared to apples, oranges, grapes, and other fruit. Adding a medium-sized guava to your lunch and you will not feel hungry again until the evening. Ironically, guava can also help with weight gain in lean, thin people. This is probably due to its wealth of nutrients, which keep the metabolism regulates and helps to promote the proper absorption of nutrients.

Anti-ageing Properties

Guava is a rich source of vitamins A, B, C and potassium which are good antioxidants and detoxifiers. They fight free radicals, thus keeping your skin glowing and free from premature signs of ageing like wrinkles and fine lines. Besides, lycopene protects the healthy cells from toxins that accumulate in the body due to metabolism and environmental pollution. These toxins also cause pre mature ageing by damaging the DNA in charge of growth and development.

Cancer Prevention

One of the most celebrated and important benefits of adding guava to your diet is its ability to inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancerous cells. The naturally high levels of vitamin-C in guavas, which are four times higher than the levels found in oranges (the traditional vitamin-C powerhouse), provides the immune system a huge boost in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the major lines of defense against the proliferation of free radicals in the body, which are one of the main causes of serious conditions like cancer and heart disease. Therefore, adding guava to your diet has numerous ways in which it helps you stay health and cancer-free.

Scurvy

Guava can outdo many other fruits, including orange and other citrus fruits, in terms of its concentration of vitamin-C. A deficiency of vitamin-C can cause scurvy, and proper intake of vitamin-C is the only known remedy for that dangerous disease. In fact, guavas contain 5X more vitamin-C than oranges, which are often heralded as the absolute best source of that beneficial vitamin.

Guava is very rich in astringents (compounds that make your gums feel tighter and fresher). After you chew guava leaves, eat a raw guava, or use some guava-based toothpaste), your mouth feels healthier, and the astringent qualities also add substance to loose bowels and reduce symptoms of diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus helping to cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines. Furthermore, other nutrients in guava such as vitamin-C, Carotenoids and potassium, strengthen and tone the digestive system while simultaneously disinfecting it. Guava is also beneficial in treating gastroenteritis for the same reasons stated above.

Thyroid Health

Guavas are a good source for copper, which is an important part of regulating thyroid metabolism by helping to control hormone production and absorption. The thyroid gland is one of the most important glands in the body for regulating hormones and organ system function, so guava can help balance your health in many ways.

Guava is one of the richest sources of dietary fiber in terms of fruit. Its seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help the formation of healthy bowel movements, and aid the body in retaining water and thoroughly cleaning your intestines and excretory system. Guava is said that constipation alone can lead to 72 different types of ailments, so any help with constipation is beneficial. Your total health is undeniably affected by proper digestion, and more importantly, proper excretion. Frequent consumption of guava can ensure both.

Guava Fruit Trees (Psidium guajava) Picture

Brain Health

Guava helps to keep your brain functions positive by maintaining good blood flow and also by infusing it with Vit B3 and Vit B6. Vit B6 is pyridoxine which is good for nerves. Guava keeps your nerves relaxed.

In a related benefit to blood pressure mentioned above, an intake of guava can also help those patients who suffer from diabetes. The high level of dietary fiber in guava helps to regulate the absorption of sugar by the body, which decreases the chances of major spikes and drops in insulin and glucose in the body. Studies have shown that consuming guava can help prevent the appearance of type-2 diabetes.

Guavas are extremely good sources of vitamin-A, which is well known as a booster for vision health. It can help slow down the appearance of cataracts, macular degeneration, and general health of the eyes. Guava can not only prevent degradation of eyesight, but even an improvement in eyesight once it has begun to degrade.

Cough & cold

Juice of raw and immature guavas or a decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in relieving coughs and colds by reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs, and inhibiting microbial activity with its astringent properties. Guava has one of the highest quantities of vitamin-C and iron among fruits, and both are proven to be preventive against colds and viral infections. In some areas of India, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough, cold, and congestion. Ripe guava should be avoided by people who are suffering from cough and cold, as guava can exacerbate the problem, and one should also avoid drinking water immedaitely after eating guava as it can lead to a soar throat.

Skin care

A guava provides more than twice the recommended daily value of vitamin C which is excellent for skin healing as it contributes to generation of collagen, the substance that imparts firmness to the skin. Besides, it provides about 1.4 micrograms of vitamin K which is 2% of the recommended daily value. This vitamin improves blood coagulation, impairment of which causes skin redness and irritation. This makes guava beneficial in treating dark circles, spider veins, rosaceae, acne irritation and splotchiness of skin.

Benefits Of Guava For Hair

Guava is a powerhouse of nutrients including Vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, copper, manganese, fibre, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. Thus, it is beneficial for healthy hair growth and maintenance. Guava also helps in combating hair loss problems.

High blood pressure

Guava helps reduce cholesterol in the blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining the fluidity of blood and reducing blood pressure. Studies have shown that food lacking fiber (such as refined flour) add to blood pressure, due to its quick conversion to sugar. Guava, being very rich in fiber and hypoglycemic in nature, helps reduce blood pressure.

Other benefits of Guava Fruit Trees (Psidium guajava)

Besides its unique flavour and fragrance, guava has been hailed has one of the super fruits because of its numerous health promoting qualities. This humble fruit is known for its medicinal properties, thanks to the sugars, vitamins and minerals present in it. Guava is extraordinarily rich in vitamin C and also contains carotene and antioxidants that are beneficial for skin health. Guavas are consumed in varying degrees of ripeness. They are also used in cooking as an ingredient in both sweet and savoury dishes. Guava juice is also a refreshing drink. The juice of guava leaves has been known to cure toothaches, swollen gums & oral ulcers, and the juice speeds up the healing process of wounds when applied externally.

As with many alternative foods and supplements, there is little risk in eating them in natural form, but you must do your due diligence when taking it in medical forms. Be cautious when adding any new medicinal form of guava into your diet, and it is better to stick to eating guava in its natural form as a raw fruit.

Guava Fruit (Psidium guajava) and Special Precautions & Warnings:

Guava is safe when eaten as food, but there's not enough information to know if it's safe in the larger amounts that are used as medicine. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, stick with food amounts until more is known.